Hinged tilt box with inclined portion

Abstract

A container for storing and transporting a wafer carrier filled with wafers and comprising a box with an openable lid, the box bottom having an inclined bottom panel portion and an inclined sidewall panel portion, supporting the bottom of the carrier and the H-bar end wall.

I claim: 
     
       1. A wafer storing and transporting container to be supported on a horizontal surface, comprising: a wafer carrier comprising a lower foot portion, an end wall portion and sidewall portions with individual wafer storing compartments, said wafer storing compartments being elongate and extending substantially parallel to the end wall portion, said lower foot portion and said end wall portion being oriented at approximately a right angle with respect to each other,   and a box enclosing said wafer carrier and comprising a bottom portion and a cover portion interfitting with one another and also comprising a bottom panel portion and a sidewall panel portion adjoining the bottom panel portion and oriented at approximately a right angle with respect to said bottom panel portion, one of said panel portions being uniquely shaped to interfit with one of said portions of the wafer carrier, the bottom portion of the box having a supporting portion to lie horizontally upon such a horizontal surface, said bottom panel portion being inclined with respect to the horizontally lying said supporting portion whereby to be inclined from the horizontal and whereby said sidewall panel portion is inclined from the vertical, said panel portions of the box supporting the lower foot portion and the end wall portion of the wafer carrier in inclined position relative to the horizontally lying said supporting portion to maintain the elongate wafer storing compartments of the wafer carrier in inclined position.   
     
     
       2. A container according to claim 1 wherein the end wall portion of the carrier is H-shaped, and wherein one of said panel portions of the box is configured to correspondingly fit with the H-shaped end wall portion of the carrier. 
     
     
       3. A container according to claim 2 wherein said sidewall panel portion of the box comprises a recess configured to receive said H-shaped end wall portion. 
     
     
       4. A container according to claim 2 wherein the bottom panel portion of the box comprises a recess configured to receive said H-shaped end wall portion. 
     
     
       5. A container according to claim 1 wherein the wafer carrier has protruding and spaced supporting feet in said lower foot portion, and wherein one of said panel portions of the box has offsets confining said supporting feet against movement across the panel. 
     
     
       6. A container according to claim 1 wherein both of said panel portions are on the bottom portion of the box. 
     
     
       7. A container according to claim 6 wherein the box also comprises confining panel portions on the cover portion and opposite to the inclined bottom panel portion and to the inclined sidewall panel portion, each of the confining panel portions being inclined like the panel portion to which it is opposite. 
     
     
       8. A container according to claim 1 wherein the cover portion is hinged to the bottom portion to facilitate swinging the cover to open position; the bottom portion comprises rim portions adjacent to said panel portions to permit the wafer carrier to be moved along the panel portions and away from the bottom portion of the box when the cover portion has been swung to open position. 
     
     
       9. A container according to claim 8 wherein each of the inclined panel portions has upper and lower portions, the rim portions being adjacent the upper portion of each inclined panel portion. 
     
     
       10. A container according to claim 1 wherein the bottom portion of the box comprises wall portions with flange portions in spaced and confronting relation therewith and defining recess portions to receive a robot arm. 
     
     
       11. A container for storing and transporting a wafer carrier, comprising a box comprising a bottom portion and a cover portion interfitting with the bottom portion in closed position and capable of swinging progressively first into an inverted open position and then into an alternate position, and   a two-part demountable hinge assembly interconnecting the bottom and cover portions and accommodating said swinging, the hinge assembly comprising an insert portion and a socket portion assembled with each other and rotatable with respect to each other at and between said closed and open positions of the cover portion, the insert portion having a width relative to the socket portion to freely rotate therein, said pocket portion comprising a retaining portion retaining said insert portion against removal from the socket portion when the bottom and cover portions are in closed and open positions, and said socket portion comprising an access slot having a width freely receiving the insert portion therethrough without restriction when the bottom and cover portions are in said alternate position, whereby said insert and socket portions being released for separation upon rotation and swinging of the cover portion to said alternate position.   
     
     
       12. A container according to claim 11 to be placed upon a supporting surface and wherein, in said inverted open position, the cover portion engages such a supporting surface, and in said alternate position, the cover portion is swung below the supporting surface while the bottom portion of the box is in position to rest upon such a surface. 
     
     
       13. A container for storing and transporting a wafer carrier, comprising a box comprising a bottom portion and a cover portion interfitting with the bottom portion in closed position and capable of swinging first into an inverted open position and then into an alternate position, and   a two-part demountable hinge assembly interconnecting the bottom and cover portions and accommodating said swinging, the hinge assembly comprising an insert portion and a socket portion assembled with each other and rotatable with respect to each other at and between said closed and open positions of the cover portion, the socket portion comprising a rounded socket cavity confining the insert portion, the socket portion also comprising an access slot into the socket cavity, the access slot being asymmetrically arranged relative to the center axis of the socket cavity, the insert portion having a size coordinated with the size of the access slot to pass therethrough, said insert and socket portions being released for separating upon rotation and swinging of the cover portion to said alternate position.   
     
     
       14. A container for a wafer carrier according to claim 12 wherein the access slot is oriented parallel to a tangent of the rounded socket cavity. 
     
     
       15. A container for storing and transporting a wafer carrier, comprising a box comprising a bottom portion and a cover portion interfitting with the bottom portion in closed position and capable of swinging first to an inverted open position and then into an alternate position, and   a two-part demountable hinge assembly interconnecting the bottom and cover portions and accommodating said swinging, the hinge assembly comprising an insert portion and a socket portion assembled with each other and rotatable with respect to each other at and between said closed and open positions of the cover portion, the socket portion comprising a rounded socket cavity confining the insert portion, the socket portion also comprising an elongate access slot into the socket cavity and oriented parallel and offset from a diameter of the socket cavity, the inert portion having a size coordinated with the size of the access slot to pass therethrough, and said insert and socket portions being released for separation upon rotation and swinging of the cover portion to said alternate position.   
     
     
       16. A container for a wafer carrier according to claim 15 wherein the insert portion comprises a flattened side and a rounded side corresponding to the shape of the socket cavity.